Princess Anne and Princess Kate both made a stylish appearance alongside the royal party for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on Monday. However, while greeting the royal party inside the Abbey, Princess Anne avoided giving the Princess of Wales a traditional kiss on the cheek for a practical reason.
Anne and Kate both accessorised for the royal outing with statement hats that colour-coordinated with their outfits. The Princess of Wales looked radiant in a blue dress and matching wide-brimmed hat, while the Princess Royal wore an elegant headpiece the same shade of emerald green as her attire for the formal occasion. While the rest of the royals all gave warm hellos, the notable size of Anne and Kate’s hats appeared to get in the way of a formal greeting between the pair.
The ladies were seen giggling while Anne offered a smile to the Princess of Wales in place of attempting a kiss. Meanwhile, other members of the royal family kept the warm greetings to one kiss rather than the traditional two as they avoided knocking Anne and Kate’s perfectly placed hats.
Kate’s ’80s-inspired outfit
Kate arrived for the annual service alongside her husband Prince William, and she looked quite the vision in navy blue. The royal wore a stunning coat dress from London-based designer Catherine Walker, which has become a favourite brand and style of Kate’s over the years. The design featured oversized buttons on the front and a pleated skirt, which Kate colour matched with navy blue stilettos. The shoulder pads on the dress gave a stylish nod to ’80s fashion.
As for her accessories, the Princess of Wales opted for a classic string of pearls around her neck and a pair of matching pearl earrings, believed to have belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II. For the occasion, Kate opted to wear her hair out in a cascade of waves behind her back.
The royal family marks Commonwealth Day
The Commonwealth service on Monday afternoon was attended by royals, politicians and celebrities alike. The royal party, which consisted of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, and King Charles and Queen Camilla, who were the last to arrive, were all greeted inside the Abbey by the Dean of Westminster.
Camilla opted for a bold red Fiona Clare dress and a matching coloured hat atop her head for the service while her husband, the King, suited up in a pinstriped blue jacket and trousers for the formal occasion. Other attendees included the Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Prince Albert of Monaco, and Spice Girls alum Geri and her husband Christian Horner.
The Commonwealth service this year was the first time it hasn’t been shown on the BBC in decades, aside from 2021 due to the global pandemic.
Read the full article here
